A school principal has made a plea to a cannabis grower to stop drying the drug near the school grounds.

Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui principal Nori Parata said a “pungent smell” of “dope” has been wafting into the school for the last week.

“Please move your dope to dry somewhere else far from the school,” Parata said in a post on the school’s Facebook page.

She said the smell has been noticed by students.

“For the last week or so the pungent smell has been wafting on to our grounds and is particularly bad in the morning, as our kids are coming into school, when they are moving between classes, or doing any outdoor activities and sport. They are commenting on the smell.”

Parata said she has informed the police and told the person involved to “move it”.

“This is not the learning environment we want for our children and young people, and we will not normalise it.”

Tolaga Bay Area School principal Nori Parata. Photo / Rebecca Grunwell

Parata declined to comment further when contacted by the Herald, saying “the post was put up for our community and they are the ones who need to take the action”. Police have been approached for comment.

It is illegal to cultivate, sow or plant cannabis in New Zealand.

The Herald reported last week that charges for cannabis possession have risen by 50% in two years.

According to newly released figures from the Ministry of Justice, there were 3438 cannabis possession charges laid last year, up from 2881 in 2024 and 2287 in 2023.